Leather-working machine



Oct. 14, 1930. I

L HI;

\W Z: k

Patented Oct. 14, 1930 UNETED STATES PATENT OFFICE JUSTIN W. GRIESS, OF HAMILTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE GRIESS IEFLEGER TANNING COMPANY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO LEATHER-WORKING MACHINE Application filed February 17, 1930. Serial No. 429,011.

This invention relates to machines for applying coloring, finishing, or other fluid materials to the surfaces of skins, leather, or the like, through a stencil. For convenience the material being coated will be herein referred to' as skins, this term being used to include skins, hides, sides, or other sheet material which the machine of the present used for this purpose, and a very substantial item of expense in the treatment of skins by such processes is involved in the placing of the skins in the apparatus preparatory to applying the coating material. Furthermore, by the stencil methods employed heretofore it has been very difficult to make the stencil lie ti htly at all points against the skin, with the result that the dye or other coloring material used is allowed to run underneath the stencil at some points, thus producing a blurred design and making sharp edges impossible.

The present invention deals particularly with these problems. It aims to improve apparatus of the general character above indicated with a view to facilitating the handling of the skins, and to perfect the means for supporting them and holding them tightly against the stencil for the application thereto ofthe finishing or treating material.

The nature of the invention will be readily understood from the following description when read in connection with the ac companying drawings, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out in the Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view of part of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view approximately on the line ff, Fig. 2.

The machine shown includes a stencil 2 usually made of sheet metal and cut to any desired design. This stencil is mounted on a svinging frame 3 which is secured by hinges 4:& to a part of the main frame 5 of the apparatus.

In order to press the skin S to be treated firmly against the stencil, a pneumatic pad 6 is suspended in the main frame 5 in position to bear against substantially the entire surface of the stencil and to back up the skin or skins. This pad may be made of rubber and should have a smooth front surface to engage the skins. It is provided with a filling tube 7 through which it may be inflated by a pump or the like.

It will be seen from an inspection of Fig. 1 that the pivoted frame 8 which supports the stencil is mounted to swing into and out of an opening 8 formed in the main frame 5, and that the pneumatic pad 6 forms the rear wall of this opening. Also, that the pad itself is backed up by the rigid part 9 of the frame 5.

In using the apparatus the operator swings the stencil forward into a position somewhat like that shown in Fig. 1, places a skin, such as that shown at S, upon the inner surface of the stencil, and holds it with his fingers or with spring clips while he swings the stencil into an upright position where the skin is held firmly between the stencil 2 and the pad 6. The stencil is locked in its upright operative position by-turn buttons 1010' carried by the main frame 5. The operator can readily see throu 'h the holes in the stencil' whether or not the skin is smooth, and if it is wrinkled he can reach through the holes with his fingers or with an appropriate tool and pull on the skin at those points necessary to smooth it out. The skin is pressed firmly against the stencil by the pad so that there is no danger of it slipping or becoming misplaced.

\Vhen the skin has been so positioned the lacquer, dye, or other coating material may be applied to it and this operation may be performed either by hand or with the aid of suitable machinery. Usually it is preferable to spray the liquid against the surface of the stencil and the portions of the skin exposed through the openings therein, and

for this purpose a spraying machine similar conducted to the spray gun through the tube or hose 16.

When the spraying operation has loeen completed the Workman turns the buttons 1010 to unlock the stencil, swings the stencil forward into the position shown in Fig.

1, removes the skin that has just been treated and replaces it with an untreated skin.

If the coating material includes a volatile solvent it is preferable to partly enclose the entire apparatus in a hood or casing 16 and to connect an exhaust pipe 17 to this casing to carry away the volatile constituents.

This apparatus has been found in practice to effect substantial economies in thehandling of the skins; The labor involved in supporting the skins for the application of the coloring material to them is materially reduced and production is correspondingly increased, An even moreimportant advantage, however, is in the superiority of the designs produced in this apparatus due to the fact that the skin is held tightly against the stencilat' all points, thus producing sharp outlines and practically eliminating the production blemished goods whichhas been a very serious Ob38i3l0ll to prior processes.

While I have herein shown and desc ibed a preferred embodiment of my invention, it

will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms without departing from the spirit or scope thereof.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to claim as new is: p

LA machine for applying coating ma- 1 terialsto skins andthe like comprising,in

combination, a stencil, means supporting said stencil for movement into and out of its operative position, and a pneun'iatic pad positioned toback upa skin and to press it against said stencil when the stencil is in its operative position.

i 2. A machine for applying coating materialsto skins and the like comprising, in combination, a stencil, means supporting said stencil for movement into and out of its operative position, a pneumatic pad positioned to back up a skin and to press it against said stencil when the stencil is in its operative position, and means for locking said stencil in its operative relationship to said pad.

v 3. A machine for applying coating materials to skins and the like comprising, in combination, a stencil,means supporting said stencil for movementvinto and out of its operative position, a pneumatic pad posi' tioned to back up a'skin and to press it against saidstencil when the stencil is in itsoperative position, and means mounted in operativerelationship to said stencil for ap plying coating material to the stencil and the skin held thereagainst.

' 4-. A machine for applying coating materials to skins and the like comprising, in

combination, a stencil, means supporting said stencil for movement into and out of an approximately upright operative posi-.

tion, and a substantially upright pneumatic pad positioned to back up a skin and to press it against said stencil when tlie'stencil is in its operative position. v p

".5. A machine for applying coating materials to skins and the like comprising, in

combination, a stencil, means supporting said stencil for movement into and out of an approximately upright operative posi tion, a substantially upright pneumatic pad positioned to back up a skin and to press it against said stencil when'the stencil is in its operative position, and a relatively rigid backing for said pad. V

6. A machine for applying coating-inaterials to skins and the like comprising, in

combination, a stencil, means supporting said stencil for swinging movement about approximately a horizontal axis nto and out of a substantially uprlght operative position,

1 an upright pneumatic padpositioned to back up a skin and to press it against said stencil when the latter is in its operative position, a relatively rigid backing for said pad, and means for locking said stencil in its operat've relationship to said pad.

- 7.'A machine for applying coating materials to skins and the llke comprising,

in combination, a stencil, means supporting sa d stencil for movement 1nto and out of an approximately upright operativejposition, a substantially upright pneumatic pad positioned' to back up-a skin andv to press it againstsaidstencil when the stencil is'in its operative position, a spray gun, and mechanism supporting said gun for traversing moven'ient in a plane in front of and approximately parallel to said stencil when the latter is in itsoperative 'position to direct a spray against said stencil and the skin held thereagainst. i

GRIESS 

